


you are home to me

by sheneedstobeprotected



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: College, F/F, Femslash, Femslash February, Fluff, Holding Hands, Human Elena, Libraries, New York, New York City, Road Trips, Romance, Romantic Fluff, SUPER SUPER FLUFF OKAY, Singing, Song Lyrics, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-28
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-23 15:18:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6120698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sheneedstobeprotected/pseuds/sheneedstobeprotected
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Caroline and Elena have both worked hard on their finals and decide to go on a road trip up to New York City. This is a glimpse of that road trip. f/f, super fluffy romantic stuff</p>
            </blockquote>





	you are home to me

**Author's Note:**

> This is a gift for my bestie and platonic soulmate. Takes place in an AU somewhere after season 4 where Elena never became a vampire and is dating Caroline because that's the way it should have gone, let's be real.

Elena sat in the passenger seat of Caroline’s car, her eyes focused on the plumeria scented air freshener hanging precariously on the rearview mirror. She thought if she kept her sight on a singular stationary object maybe she wouldn’t be so sleepy. The visions of the trees swaying in the wind and the cars passing usually made her drowsy. The plan wasn’t working out very well so far, despite her best efforts.  
  
The pair were on their way up to New York City to celebrate finals being over at the end of their freshman year of college. As a Pre-Med student, Elena had had a significant amount of work that had involved plenty of all-nighters, early mornings and many, many cups of coffee. Although Caroline had finished her last final, Elena had three left to go, so she had spent a significant amount of time helping her study and decided they both needed a getaway.  
  
The decision was made in the library late one night, on the eve of Elena’s fourth final. Caroline had been quiet for an unusually long period of time (for Caroline anyway) and Elena had just trudged back from the vending machine all the way on the other side of the room when Caroline gasped suddenly. Elena looked at her suspiciously; Caroline had a mischievous sparkle in her eyes and a look on her face that Elena recognized in a split second. Caroline had an idea, a grand one.  
  
“Should I be concerned?” Elena asked, moving slowly toward Caroline who was sitting on the floor looking up at her girlfriend and trying hard not burst from excitement. Elena gracefully sat down onto the floor across from Caroline, who still hadn’t said a word. “I know you’re up to something Caroline,” Elena told her, pointing her finger towards her. “So spill it.”  
  
Caroline placed her palms onto the floor on either side of her and spoke. “What if we take a road trip to New York after your last final?” she asked, the words nearly bursting out of her mouth faster than she could speak them. She continued. “We could go to the Botanical Garden that you’ve always wanted to see, just think of how pretty everything would be this time of year! Spring in New York is supposed to be gorgeous, not as gorgeous as you of course but still.”  
  
Elena blushed at the last comment but couldn’t think of any reason to disagree with Caroline’s argument. She was exhausted, worn out and could honestly use a bit of excitement after all these days stuck in the library. (Not that she minded the library, it was one of her favorite places after all; but having to study her ass off temporarily soured the scene)  
  
“You’re not saying anything, why aren’t you saying anything?” Caroline asked, concern in her voice, with just a hint of annoyance. She thought it was a perfect plan, how could Elena say no?  
  
Elena paused and then crawled onto her knees over to Caroline, anxiously awaiting a response. “I think…” Elena said, moving a bit closer to Caroline. “It’s a wonderful idea. I’d love to go with you.” Elena gave Caroline a quick kiss on the lips and settled next to her, putting her arms around her, her head on Caroline’s shoulder.  
  
They were about two hours into the seven hour drive when Caroline looked over and noticed Elena’s eyes blinking, trying desperately to keep them open as her head started to droop. “You should sleep, Elena.” Caroline encouraged her. “You deserve it after taking five finals on practically no sleep.”  
  
“But then I’ll miss you,” Elena whined, pouting her lips dramatically. “Besides, I’d feel bad letting you drive all by yourself.”  
  
Caroline tilted her head and gave her a stern look in response. “You’ll still be right next to me,” Caroline reminded her. “I’ll be right here when you wake up.” Her face brightened as she added, “And we’ll be that much closer to New York!”  
  
Elena sighed, biting her lip and weighing her options silently, ultimately resigning to the idea of some sleep. She turned, grabbed a pillow out of the back seat and placed it against the window, patting it a couple times before laying her head against it.  
  
“Sweet dreams,” Caroline whispered.  
  
“You.. t…oo” Elena mumbled back as she drifted off to sleep.  
  
Caroline picked up her iPod and connected it to the car radio so she could listen to her own music, not this awful noise that was currently playing from whatever station they had randomly landed on. She continued to drive, occasionally glancing over at a sleeping, quietly snoring Elena. A smile formed on her lips as she thought about all the things they had planned to do once they arrived at their destination. The smile had nothing to do with how cute Elena looked when she was asleep. No, of course not.  
  
After an hour or so, Elena started to regain consciousness. She awoke to a gentle hum along with the song currently playing, which soon turned into gentle singing.  
  
“We got caught in the rain,” the voice sang along softly. “Just two kids at the end of May just tryin' to figure out what life could hold.”  
  
Elena had heard Caroline sing before, they had grown up together after all. Her voice had always been one of the most beautiful sounds she had ever heard. Right now she sounded so soft and sweet…almost breakable. Caroline hardly ever did anything without making a big show of it and usually when she sang it consisted of powerful displays of her vocal range and artistic flair. But this was different. Elena did her best to make it seem like she was still asleep so she could hear a little more of Caroline’s voice in this way; raw and unfocused. Unrehearsed.  
  
“See I don’t believe in chance. I think it’s the choice we make,” Caroline sang along. You could almost hear the smile on her face as she sang. She lowered her voice and whispered the next line, as if she was spilling her biggest secret. “Oh and I choose you. For the rest of my days.”  
  
Elena couldn’t help but smirk, and was glad she was positioned toward the window so that Caroline couldn’t see her face blush furiously. As Caroline sung the chorus Elena had to keep her composure, just a little longer. She wanted to hear more of the beauty that was Caroline’s voice, vulnerable and unguarded. Unfortunately a tingle in her throat betrayed her, as it turned into a cough giving away her state of consciousness.  
  
“Elena,” Caroline whined as Elena bit her lip, her face scrunched up after getting caught. She tried to compose her features into a neutral state before turning her head towards her girlfriend. “Hey,” she yawned in her best sleepy sounding voice, stretching her arms out dramatically. “I guess I needed some sleep after all.”  
  
“Yeah you were out cold,” Caroline said quirking an eyebrow, an accusatory but playful tone in her voice.  
  
Elena situated herself so the rest of her body faced toward Caroline. “I’m sorry I didn’t say anything I just…” she trailed off. “You sounded so happy and carefree. It was nice to hear you like that.”  
  
“It’s okay,” Caroline said with a knowing smile and a shrug, her eyes never leaving the road. “I knew you were awake.”  
  
“You did?” Elena asked, feeling incredibly embarrassed. “Then… why didn’t you stop?”  
  
Caroline turned toward Elena now and brushed her fingers over Elena’s messy hair. “Maybe I wanted to let you see that part of me,” she said softly looking into her eyes with a gentleness that made Elena’s heart flutter. “Or… hear it anyway.” Caroline smiled again. “I’m really glad you’re here with me right now, Elena.”  
  
Elena closed her eyes and leaned into Caroline’s touch, enjoying the immense comfort it brought her. She opened her eyes and reached for Caroline’s hand, clasping their fingers together and smiling over at her. “Me too,” Elena sighed. If the rest of the trip ended up resembling anything like that moment, it was going to be unforgettable.


End file.
